Chapter 26: A man who knows how to imagine the future
6stS“An… absurd story?”buRbJ
WhHbxEe“It does not matter whether you believe what I am going to say from now on or not. Just listen.”UwsRv
4njHYeG“U-understood.”0Gj
HHa6WmStephan adopted a listening posture, just as he had been asked.JEz7o
qylAlthough he was so dizzy he felt like he might die, it was still not completely impossible to listen.lxwD2Xm
GbEs3Perda began to speak.lMAxeZ5
2IaMr“This is the future I am imagining.”362B
FhicwxPerda did not emphasize it as if he were presenting something grand.mmCQgCb
uVvGZHe simply focused on recounting exactly the things he had seen, heard, and felt.fn8ep
V90oEKCWhile listening to the story, Stephan gathered key words one by one.aHA
yvf‘Carriages that move without horses. Tools that work with magical power but do not need magicians…’Aii1fYG
FMBaUmiStephan was a man who had grown up being called a genius and possessed an excellent commercial instinct.7OADeUb
dszThe instinct of a merchant is something simple.EpIAp0Q
Wo1lTake the profits and discard the losses.Q5iw
2MeSo what was it that Perda was saying?mlyR
gboU4‘An absurd dream.’aUjWgyf
IARmiFor Stephan’s common sense, it was an impossible story.PgM
VTHVTWDA story that should be discarded.RVS
ItVI‘And yet… it sounds convincing.’m0Jvt
JVSIt was not a sweet whisper meant to set a trap.2SIoQh
kiK4lThere were no exaggerations typical of a swindler nor traps hiding information.YZM
TT1ZIt was as if a grandfather were telling a story to some children.8QHfS
6FOAs if he were simply calmly recounting something he had seen and experienced.eey
wuTSBecause of that, even that absurd story began to draw clear images in Stephan’s mind.54J
ycI7NycHe did not even know what to call that feeling, but a conviction arose inside him.wgusf3
O8AaOWl‘This will definitely make money!’gRQW
f1L4F3Stephan’s mind began working normally again, but his hands were still trembling.F4hgxt
vnvhk“That is all. That is as far as the future I am imagining goes.”0cySP
BUUfNuStephan opened the mouth he had kept closed while listening attentively.UWfiKr
TKJd“That future… does it have anything to do with what you are researching, Lord Regent?”eWqwBbE
jmxPHe asked with his heart beating strongly.Ak7i
zDw6tIt was so shocking that he even forgot to stutter.cvvM
Wgno3YI“Of course.”8X8wh
B3h0p“T-then! Could you tell me exactly what it is? I beg you!”24AzVH
PuM9xStephan could not contain his excitement and pleaded with Perda.qOn
uJV“Magitechnology.”YxQIcC
UHJ“Magi-tech… nology.”6tPriR
vUJZS0It was a name that seemed vaguely familiar.7rcd
E0IBut if Stephan did not remember it, it was undoubtedly because at the time it had not seemed profitable to him.ckoR
lu5RH‘If I thought it was useless then, it should still be the same…’QLQWU0p
xgCCHowever, it was the first time he felt he was about to lose such an attractive product.Gt6jsw
RdEHe could not let it escape.SBUYWxS
cb3Bu“If your research needs monster corpses, what would you think if we cooperated?”QXfza4V
L8T“You mean you will help us?”75Yz9
p7a8n“Yes. We will provide them.”4tRaC
I2OPerda leaned back against the chair and asked.Jfh
ZwuSvw“What do you want?”KuyKB
HviGzo“We want to participate in the production and distribution of those magitechnology products.”WlsR
nyIMStephan clearly revealed his desire.4qIx
dMp6DPerda asked in a more serious tone.luH3
TLeTO“Only in the production and distribution?”RdgZ8NB
q9e“Of course… we also want exclusivity.”3ZzJM
z2QStephan answered clearly.Z3b8Z
d62C41An exclusivity contract.hhyU
jrIXzIf something could be possessed alone, it always became a great weapon.he5
2dW“I know it is a great ambition. That is why everything can be adjusted according to your will, Lord Regent. I only wish that we can monopolize the products derived from that research.”o7Y9fa
6PZ1YJStephan made very clear his intention to have exclusivity.Nbsgb
pTj4TPerda showed an expression of little interest.EKS
pfMG“What we are researching will change the world. If you want to monopolize something like that, besides helping with the research you will have to prove your sincerity.”uSzdcl
yc0i9“What would I have to do?”ZaRNE
m0edPerda used that moment to make his proposal.1cQVeC
BuWw0wC“I want to secure priority supply of materials for road development, the growth of the Duchy, and also food reserves.”aR2Y
JESbWPerda’s demands came out naturally.qiHPqtW
EVmZLjlStephan was surprised.Rf0fr
fz5FvWE“You are asking for quite a lot…”ppZUNON
MQaW“Is there any problem with the ruler of a territory wanting to work for its development?”5w75t
bDZzm10“No, none at all. Haha…”YhMt
nhQAlthough he smiled outwardly, Stephan could not help thinking seriously.bawUn
FuTSONp‘Giving those three things is not impossible.’IvvmYH
NN0LaEThe money and resources Stephan had accumulated far exceeded those of his two siblings.1hwgV
mwZDRoad construction was something that would have to be done anyway if they were going to cooperate.0xGg
PetHe also had enough resources and stored food to deliver them.OPkWeaF
gsvEven so, there was something that made him hesitate.gA6pj
v6Hp6ip‘Priority…’99D3W
9ddeHStephan knew perfectly well how terrifying that word was.GuC5cH
uCUIt meant that even if someone else offered to pay more money, he would have to ignore it and fulfill that supply first.6If
MPRZStephan’s commercial instinct screamed at him to avoid that kind of commitment.A36IvU
blt7lNB“Your expression does not look very good.”aImPp
n1o“Eh? Eh?”oSM
wEOtPvE“It seems you do not like the idea of supplying with priority very much.”S0eD
5GW68LF“No, not at all. How could that be?”z3zDjOk
WbhrKDnEven if it were true, the correct thing was to deny it.aPnOXj
8kAgyJThat was the basis of everything.B5J1
1XUfw“Think about it. There is nothing more unfair than dying after accumulating a fortune.”6Wz
HuZStephan shuddered.d0YeyO
yyB0Ymy“A-are you… threatening me?”Axln
yO3“No. It is not a threat. I am talking about your future. Herman Pascal is already quite old, is he not?”2j6
rwb“Ah…”hAVs2
nQnoStephan understood what Perda meant.P4A
bw2DemHe remembered something he had been avoiding thinking about.mZpOz
HkN‘That hateful brother and that sister…’zmarf
LcIE6e3Merchit and Tilda.OL7W
I8pWere they not pressuring him relentlessly?IhOiD
6iR“Is it not an attractive proposal to become the owner of the trading company, even if you must assume some losses?”pdnb
EqU“The… owner of the company…”p0o
L4Z4The Pascal Trading Company was everything to Stephan.nUrsZ
sua0jWtIt did not only mean wealth, but even his own life.bIxKQ
Qaa“To the extent that you cooperate with me, I will also cooperate with you. I will make what Herman Pascal built, and the trading company that you have grown, become completely yours.”Apc
kVUStephan took out a scale in his mind.eB2Hf
VAcMWhat Perda demanded and what he had shown, against what he himself had to offer.aoN03
I9HuOf course, it was an overwhelmingly unfavorable deal for Stephan.x0bfIym
Uin16a‘The Grand Duke… no, the regent… could become someone who supports my position.’WYW5
DAOMPerda Valdrova.b8XvZvH
bYDAt first he had not considered him much in terms of connections.tAK
uYZPQPCA man who knows how to imagine the futuresmbst
pdeIf someone bragged about having the consort of Valdrova as a contact, the only thing they would receive would be ridicule, and people would think they were so desperate that they were even clinging to a rotten rope.2nXFgF
uxwRMost people underestimated him.CO7
jx0And Stephan had believed that as well.zKb
LVftOc‘But that is not the case.’8X5
B9IWNow that he saw him in person, it was different.Ma8
4gqHe was a man who possessed a brilliance comparable to that of the emperor.tzy6Pdu
RV4uLREven standing before him at that moment and feeling surprised, Stephan could not stop wondering whether he was still underestimating him.eri
u8Ud‘This man knows how to imagine the future.’RP9
adyvLYThey were not childish drawings like those made by boastful nobles.qzmS3
lOUzFjsEven if he drew rough lines, the shape he outlined was clear.s3Wg
zDWLOn8He had conviction.qWZ9w1N
Vp7And he also had the ability to sustain it.0OPzboq
Vpg‘Something I could never have.’G7Pujh
dyYxVThe absolute charisma Stephan had never possessed.gXQ
dtxKnB5That was why he wanted to say it.VZ1uh
POtKKrQHe wanted to say it no matter what.H2L5nOV
qh0nXETThose words began to rise in his throat.mJkM
dRl“May I ask a question?”M1s7J
gb8But he did not say them.KfBN
RdmIBecause answering one beat later is the fastest path to becoming a great merchant.cMboaPU
NtR“Go ahead.”ikEkI
404“I have an older brother and a sister. Why did you not choose one of them?”ILUs
EaASXhPerda answered frankly.C6tPm
Q0K“I will be honest. Because I would gain nothing by attaching myself to them.”tTlwOU
ynAe3qA cold and calculated judgment.hlWR
MnI5“And you are alone and isolated. That is why you are perfect to be used.”onlTd0n
tnTJ“Ugh…”6Ns
ivrONUPerda was too direct.RFvZlU
qgRorStephan, who had expected to test him with that question, ended up confused instead.I1rkcH
dLLznU3“That is why I am making this proposal to you. Decide whether you want to survive by accepting losses, or if you prefer to fall behind.”bRlRGD
exVnStephan realized how short-sighted his thinking had been.8tQFV
vePIZfTHe had tried to test someone like that.TFFsL4G
GiK7“I will do it.”Gt4
uVlnAnd he added something he had forgotten to say.y138MAD
NPnI“I will do it no matter what.”PCdSc
v6VStephan knelt and bowed before him.JnPkdd
v5cPerda leaned forward and extended his hand.tLrQS
00F3ul“Then I will count on you from now on.”i0Vf
qq2vfO“I am the one who will be indebted to you, Lord Regent.”F7fSSyh
acn9Stephan thought that no matter who or what proposal might be made to him in the future, nothing would ever make him feel an emotion as intense as the deal he had just concluded that day.Kqy
l5vVu3***x3sYHox
Z2pGTerritory of Count Consillus.LcSsoP
1Iz3N9sToday a soldier died who was someone’s father and someone’s husband.cO2o0U1
skmKBHe had died heroically buying time to protect the peasants from the monsters that had attacked the fields.MJs
NegThe priests sprinkled the body with holy water while performing the ritual.RdqG
GoG2sThe soldiers raised their swords and honored his death.0iBbS
mSgEven Count Consillus attended the funeral of that simple soldier.DEQDi6r
AP6wThe old lord, already too aged to wield a sword, never missed the funerals of his soldiers and always honored the fallen.IJCHHVa
Zgti9EIt was habitual behavior.CaB
fpI3But today was different.3UVU
FUMmEven after the entire funeral had ended, Ulvera Consilus did not move from the place and remained watching the grave.MV5
UsMM“Arwen…”WfiKU4
p74JVn1He called the knight who stood behind him.2wKw
2y04vj“Yes, my lord.”rZ4E
hRofr“What did the Empire say? What happened with the letter we sent requesting supplies?”Uud60hc
t4f40kzArwen responded with an uncomfortable voice.vM87Oy
wkR“They say it will take time. That they must first supply the soldiers inside the Empire…”XdN3g
Ywy“First…?”sFQm
RBjBUlvera Consilus stroked his beard.hmL
yO82DFaThe life of Ulvera Consilus had been like walking on a tightrope.YWdZg
wF0vBecause of that he rarely showed his emotions.qNY
4vnIn a world where today’s emotion could become tomorrow’s death, he had always learned to smile kindly.Cp20O
Mg2FByIf something could not be achieved today, it would be attempted tomorrow.5OsPLBO
PgXi61DAnd if not tomorrow, then the day after.ojiH
l88WV“Those damned sons of bitches…”gS2Vunc
u4ecFnEven Count Consilus could no longer keep smiling.uvvhizA
HheA“First supply the soldiers of the Empire? Are we not also subjects of the Empire? We live every day fighting monsters on the front line! And the emperor is arming guards simply because he worries about the safety of the cities?”bzdtL3
obh“Calm yourself, my lord.”kxQ6k
MLE“How pitiful. I may never have lived with pride, but at least I believed I had not lived with shame. And yet today I feel a shame like never before!”CKY
8ynWhen he heard the cause of the soldier’s death, Count Consilus’s heart seemed to collapse.sl494
myoyVLThe sword the soldier had used to fight the monsters had broken just as he delivered the final blow.FiJHBpe
APWAIt was a military supply weapon.o9t
jpWmAnd even so he had used it for five years.uaTWe
o8xXhdIt would not have been strange for it to break at any moment.m8hb
986wEVJCount Consilus knew very well how important defense was.yscOSAQ
g8fvAt least to protect his territory, he had never neglected the training of his soldiers and had always tried to set an example to strengthen their morale.e9HJ
2t6RUBut not even the best morale can defeat the lack of supplies.q84hQBP
hnWVxInside the Empire there was peace.5Xnc0
G0gSEBut on the frontier the situation was practically a constant war.rBwFEEW
rUYpv6Casualties caused by monsters were something that occurred continuously.vCazt
5Kq7H“Forgive me…”fyxbTkH
DqVbnnDCount Consilus grabbed the soldier’s grave and fell to his knees.RLz
s3QGl“Forgive this useless old man… It was my fault.”eEoNn
Zeirrt“My lord is not useless! All of this is our incompetence!”z3x
TVGVa“It is my fault!”Tt8714
VJFnp4“It is my fault!”73Sl
63BLFoArwen fell to his knees, and the soldiers under his command also knelt.XLkxT
xqzH09OCount Consilus wept bitterly for a long time.q0H
ft2After crying for a long time, Arwen helped him stand up.jp4f
l6rCount Consilus began walking again.TL57cWU
cfMlwezHe was returning to his residence.cuG
vMmvJ1Then he heard a great commotion outside the castle gate.rqI9P
kxVIt was so loud it seemed to pass through the tall and thick walls.c95WUA
w2pOInstead of continuing toward his residence, Count Consilus asked the guard watching the main gate.unedd4B
DTrRU“What is happening?”e4uYl
bgHG1Q“My lord! We were just looking for you.”ZZ6bc
05cWF“For me?”RRObCn
FqYe5Y“Yes. Outside there is a long line of carriages advancing through the forest. They appear to be merchants, but they seem suspicious, so we have not allowed them to enter.”QtY
F4Q6A“Suspicious merchants?”G7Fx4
07d8PzI“They say they come from the Pascal Trading Company.”6o6
zIn7kc6It was understandable that it seemed suspicious.s7v
dDGmGA company like Pascal had no reason to come to this region of the far east.9nzqMoc
IM5XyThey probably thought they were bandits or criminals in disguise.oAmr
6zJ“I see. I will go see it myself.”qD12Sh
pEECvlCount Consilus’s eyes became sharp.Ngmh7C2
csiLIf they were bandits, he was determined to draw his sword right there and bathe it in blood.DYUtJLE
3vXiJCount Consilus opened a side gate and went out.fxIHn
3yQqIn front of the main gate stood a relatively well-dressed middle-aged man on horseback.Mkpw
DIOP“I have come to see Count Consillus. The carriages are waiting in the forest and the situation is dangerous. Could you open the gate?”m1c
ukDNrV“The man before you is Ulvera Consillus, count of this place. Show proper respect.”bfNVjE
zZ8At Arwen’s warning, the middle-aged man was startled, jumped from the horse, and knelt.psKUt
LPyw8bx“Ah, I’m sorry! My sight failed me. Count, forgive my disrespect.”Wau9OO0
IJThfK“It does not matter. Who are you? Bringing so many carriages to a place like this would normally frighten anyone.”94G9w
0tT6P“Forgive the delay in introducing myself. We come from the Pascal Trading Company.”5XW
4qRuVz“I already heard that. Do you have any way to prove it?”bIlrn
eSqF“Here.”9QyhLKF
qI41The man took out an identification document.z5q5XR
KCyThe emblem of the Empire and the seal.LYcZkj2
3Gw6IsHe was undoubtedly someone sent by the Pascal Trading Company.xJ5q48
oxNDe“Why have you come all the way here?”dKkS
uMjFr“We have come to consult about establishing a branch in the territory of Count Consilus.”zmLa6u8
m81M5N“If the Pascal Trading Company establishes a branch… does that mean you have interest in the trade of this far east?”enobHi
grSBPConsilus was even more surprised.HSKq2
1MSc9Establishing a branch meant they planned to activate commerce throughout the surrounding region.BicSFPG
ZR4But a great trading company had no reason to activate commerce in the far east.4Jxp
FvrFor them it was more reasonable to expand their business safely from the central region rather than assume the risks of this frontier.IZpopj
dSQ0“We received orders from above. We must support with priority the supply of resources and the improvement of roads, in addition to establishing a branch in the far east. For that project, the territory of Count Consilus was chosen as the place with the best location. If Count Consilus allows us to install the branch, we have come fully prepared to begin immediately.”plWffy
hEeCINFCount Consilus looked in astonishment at the endless line of carriages that had crossed the forest.pk7BDok
1P5nq“Then… you came with the intention of practically building a castle?”invPok4
JFjAY7i“Haha, not exactly. We also bring construction materials, but we heard that recently you have not been receiving supplies. So instead of the Empire, our company has selected the best products from our inventory to bring you supplies.”OkuM
Mwh“Supplies?!”kPm
9qhprvCount Consilus quickly walked toward the cargo in the carriages.p2voQNi
w2gDah“Hah!”REH
H0SyPHis wrinkled eyes opened wide.HoGd0
eORNIn those carriages were things more valuable than mountains of gold.CUfT
Ou1U‘Everything I requested and was ignored… is here!’MQnrkws
mBjnDKSFrom weapons to maintenance consumables, and even food that could be stored as reserves.VR2
yCfx8URFrom the most trivial to the absolutely essential, everything was inside those carriages.am9gQ1X
rnGLhCount Consilus took a supply sword.fGlhh
Qp3f3It was undoubtedly of the highest quality.bLXB
PxnllA weapon strong enough not to break in the middle of a battle against monsters.yI6dA
b30Xww“Why would Pascal… invest in a business in a place like this far east?”Tze
544Count Consilus was too curious.xr2Bl
EnvUHe felt he could not remain calm if he did not obtain an answer.v2DWKp
moN0JThen the man replied.FtFk
PPMllIs“It is a project being carried out after reaching an agreement with the representative of Grand Duchess Valdrova.”q9TQ
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Haimiya_cutie.
Body IntegrationRuri really hate wandering knights.
Haimiya_cutie.
Body IntegrationOho our waifu feeling embarrassed.